What Next -- Climate Watch

ETC Group's Submission to Rio+20: Tackling Technology

Sun, Nov 6 2011 09:47 | Agriculture, Geoengineering, Rio+20, Technology | Permalink

Here is ETC Group's submission to the Rio+20 Zero Draft with a focus on technology assessment, geoengineering and small-scale peasant-led agriculture. Short summary below and link to the full 22-page submission here.

The most dramatic technological transformation in history – involving information technologies, biotechnologies and engineering – has occurred since the first Rio Earth Summit in 1992; during the same period, however, governments have systematically downsized or eliminated their capacity to understand science and monitor technologies. While technology has thus far played an extraordinarily prominent role in preparatory documents for Rio+20, technology’s potential contribution to sustainable development and/or new Green Economies cannot be realized as long as the world lacks trusted and transparent mechanisms -- at global, regional and national levels -- for technology evaluation. The absence of such mechanisms incites distrust and invites disaster.

Big names behind US push for geoengineering

Thu, Oct 6 2011 11:49 | Geoengineering | Permalink

Here's a Guardian article by John Vidal on the push for geoengineering by US based interests.

vidal_geoengineeringblog-6-oct_2011

By John Vidal
Thursday 6 October 2011 07.04 EDT

Big names behind US push for geoengineering

A coalition representing the most powerful academic, military,
scientific and corporate interests has set its sights on vast potential
profits